Destiny and One Dream
by JL01
Summary: Torn and bitter over the death of his beloved wife Misty, Ash Ketchum travels to the river where they first met, hoping to finally put to rest the ghosts of the past. A novelization of MiyaToriaka's doujinshi, "Destiny and One Dream".
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hi, all. Well, I've decided to get back into writing in the AAML/Pokeshipping ficdom, because it's been a very long while since I've written any story in it whatsoever (nothing at all written, in fact, since I last finished "Letters" back in September last year). I know many of you are itching for me to get back to writing my main Chosen One series and kick off where I last left it at Book IV, but sadly that probably won't be happening anytime soon. I've been working on three huge fics since that time – two in Star Wars and one in The Walking Dead – so regular updates to Chosen One Book IV is unfortunately out of the question. It's still on hiatus, but don't think it's cancelled – I wouldn't do that ever.

Those of you who have followed me since the first books of my Chosen One series will probably notice significant changes in my narration style, especially in emotional qualities. I've completely abandoned the old POV switching that I've used in Books I to IV, as I've found that it's distracting and irritating for some readers. Readers in Pokeshipping ficdoms appreciate it somewhat based on what fic it is, but readers in Star Wars ficdoms absolutely despise it and find it annoying, so I've decided to write always in 3rd-person narrative, except for some "thought sections" which are italicized in first-person.

As I've mentioned, this is a novelization of MiyaToriaka's doujinshi, "Destiny and One Dream", and I'm writing with her personal permission/blessing. I'm sure a lot of you have seen/read it already, but if you haven't, visit her page on DeviantArt and check it out for yourself. There's some slight changes I've made in this fanfic version of it: Ash and Misty are married, not just dating for a month; Ash is living far away from home after Misty's death, as he lives secluded and shuns his friends later – even Pikachu; the story goes deeper into what happens in the time between Misty and Ash's deaths; Misty's death scene has been slightly altered; and Ash is far, far more melancholy and depressed than in the Doujinshi. I've added some elements and touches from Barry Lyndon (1975 film) in that regard.

Anyway, that's enough explanations from me. Hope you enjoy, and please leave your reviews, especially if you're one of my old reviewers – I'd love to hear from you guys again.

* * *

**Destiny and One Dream**

**Chapter 1**

_You'll always be there for me…won't you, Ash?_

_Heheh…there you go again, always promising to protect me no matter what. You think you're Arceus or something?_

_Ash…can't breathe…eyes darkening…_

_Ash…I love you…I love you…_

"No!" the young raven-haired man yelped in fear as he lurched forward off the sweat-drenched pillow and mattress of his bed. His knuckles went white and his untidy nails dug into his quilt with immense pressure, causing the veins in his hand to bulge up in panic. He quickly spun left and right almost like a madman, desperately searching for that precious person who was no longer there. His mind coming back to reality, he let out a somber sigh as he stared down at the pillow besides his that would be forever empty, no matter how much he wanted it to be occupied once again.

Exhaling deeply, he fell backward and slumped himself back onto the damp mattress, not caring in the slightest about the fact that he had himself covered by a doona despite the hot and humid summer air which breezed through the window. It was a moonless night, but then again every night felt the same with her gone forever. There was nothing to live for, now that his beloved wife was taken away from him. Nothing to smile about or to look forward to. His previous victories during his journey to become a Pokémon Master – even winning the title of Kanto Champion itself – were completely meaningless now that she was no longer here. Despite the fact that his body and dark blue pyjamas were soaked in cold sweat, he never removed the quilt. His skin was as hot as fire from the heat, but on the inside everything felt as cold as death. It had been the same ever since he witnessed the life leave his lover's eyes.

Suicide was a thought that always lingered in the back of his mind…ever enticing, ever whispering to him with gentle and soothing tones, promising him an eternity of peace and happiness with her. But of course he couldn't do it; couldn't subject his loved ones, especially his parents, to experience a loss as traumatic as he had. Despite his shunning them and repeated and upheld attempts to break off all contact with them – even Pikachu, whom he sent away to his parents and never saw again – and live completely in seclusion and anonymity, he could never bring himself to take his own life.

Restless and unable to fall asleep no matter how hard he tried, he lurched his arm to his right hand side towards the bedside counter. His fingers brushed against the cold glass of a bottle of whiskey which he eagerly grabbed and brought to his mouth. He drank it enthusiastically, until he overdid it and began to cough and splutter as his hand rushed to put the bottle back down. It fell out of his grasp as he brushed it back onto the counter, landing on the carpet below and staining it.

Cursing silently at himself for his clumsiness, he shuffled in his bed and extended an arm down to retrieve the bottle. Unable to see properly in the dark, his hand instead knocked against the handle of the top drawer of the counter. He stopped, suddenly locked in inner conflict. His head groaned at him, imploring him to ignore the feelings festering in his heart and to drown away his sorrows by reaching for the bottle of whiskey, while his heart begged him to open the drawer to remind himself of what he had truly lost.

Sadness and anger gripped him as he begrudgingly opened the drawer with his right hand and turned his body sideways to look into what lay inside. He reached in and pulled out a small picture frame, the glass broken from one of his previous fits of rage, as well as a blackened handkerchief. He brought the picture to his eyes, and there before him was the gorgeous image of his wife in her heavenly white wedding gown, standing by the famous Cerulean Cape with the sea extending far behind her. The gown fluttered backwards with the wind, adding to the already breathtaking beauty that was Misty Ketchum, whose pristine smile still haunted his thoughts. The portrait was dampened in various small places with the tears of the widowed Ash Ketchum, and he hastily put the picture back in the drawer for fear of further destroying it.

Then, he fondled the handkerchief in his hands so tenderly, almost scrunching it up against his heart as his tears fell onto it. The very same handkerchief she gave him all those years ago when they first parted ways. The old pink cloth was now dark and blackened, and he had never bothered to wash it. And why should he have, when it was all he truly had left of her?

Looking back on that fateful day, Ash couldn't help but chuckle at his foolishness. Trying in vain to stop all that blood from seeping out of various parts of her torso which was riddled with glass, with a petty little handkerchief. That same blood which soaked the handkerchief that day was still on it now, close to a full year later. He never tried to wash it – it felt…wrong to do so. As if he was trying to wash away his own guilt of not being able to save her. Of being so stupid and unaware of what was happening before it was too late.

The dry and cracking handkerchief reeked of blood, death and decay, but he didn't care. He cradled it against his chest, and wept into it before finally returning it to its proper place and closing the drawer. He buried his face against his dead wife's pillow. Still, after so many months had passed, he could smell the captivating aroma of her hair. It drove him crazy. Almost insane. His fingers curled up and he scrunched at it, enraged that his stupidity and inability to act was the cause of his own misery.

Determined to not let the scent of his wife be destroyed by his own musk, he lurched back onto his own pillow and wrapped his face in his hands. An eerie and weak light caught his attention from the side of his eye and he looked leftward, beholding the sight of the full moon which revealed itself from behind a waft of clouds. It was easy for him to have dismissed this night as a moonless one, because he didn't care at all about it. In fact, he wished it was a moonless one, because the very sight of the full moon made his blood boil as his mind conjured up memories; painful memories of that night when Misty looked up at the full moon one night and reminded him that the morning after would be the day they first met.

To think that his beloved Misty was taken away from him on their _true_ anniversary – the anniversary of their fateful first meeting. Someone up there had a sick sense of humor, indeed.

Fatigue and sleep overtook him at last, and Ash's eyes which were so full of hate and anger drifted off into a passive lull. As always, he was plagued with the nightmare of the events of that tragic day which would haunt him for as long as he lived.

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**A/N:** That's the end of the first "intro" chapter. The second chapter will be longer, and kick off with a flashback to the events which led to Misty's death the previous year. This fic will also, as I've mentioned before, go deeper into what happens after Misty's death: Ash's change in personality and the rift between him and his friends/family.

I've got end-of-year exams coming up really soon, so this will probably be the last thing I'll get to write on anything until the middle of November. So until then, please leave your reviews, and I'll see you all again soon!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Wake up," a soft, soothing voice called out to him, stirring him from his sleep. "Honey, wake up."

Summer was something Ash Ketchum could well and truly enjoy during the time he travelled with his best friend and the girl of his dreams who now leaned over him on the bed. The hot, humid and often sleepless nights in a cosy room was another.

"Morning, Mist," Ash smiled with still half-closed eyes after letting out a yawn. The sunlight was warm and rejuvenating, but certainly not as much as the angelic smile and loving touch of his wife of one year.

"Guess what day it is?" Misty grinned, giving him a light peck on the lips.

Ash rubbed his sore temple, and his eyes were still dazed from a lack of sleep. He was always full of energy during their travels, but was in need of a mug of coffee everyday now for his brain to have an ounce of hope of properly functioning.

"Is it your birthday?" he took a wild guess.

"No, silly," Misty chuckled and gently poked him on the nose. "It's the day we first met – I can't believe you don't remember!"

"You'd be surprised by what a lack of coffee in the morning does to your memory, Mist."

Misty laughed softly, and she loved the fact that despite his lack of his once bottomless energy and enthusiasm, Ash still retained every bit of his old wit and humor. She leaned down and planted a deep and loving kiss on her husband's lips as his arms wrapped around her.

"Happy anniversary, Ash," she whispered into his ear as she rested beside him. "Our _real _anniversary."

"The wedding was just three months ago, Mist. You know that, right?" he teased, caressing her cheek.

"Oh, you're _funny_, you little Snorlax," Misty shoved him playfully in the chest, sending him flopping down on his back. "Now hurry and get up and dressed – we have to go soon!"

"Go?" Ash blinked and yawned again, ruffling his hair with his right hand. "Go where?"

"Boy, you must have not gotten a single wink of sleep last night," Misty raised an eyebrow. "You promised me last night, remember? That we'd take a drive to the place we first met?"

"Oh boy, I did," Ash slapped himself in the forehead, berating himself that he forgot such a promise. He took a step onto the floor and basked in the sunshine that came in through the window of their home in Cerulean City. Across the landscape of the city could be seen Misty's old home, the Cerulean Gym, where her big sister Daisy was the Leader. Inexperienced and hardly enthusiastic about battles at first, Daisy had developed and matured – ironically with the help of her little sister – and became a capable and respected Gym Leader in her own right. Daisy's young son Matthew observed his mother's battle prowess with keen attention, hoping to one day take responsibility of the Gym from her when the time came.

"Well, you wanna get breakfast started?" Ash said. "I'll get dressed and come down to help, and then we can hitch a ride on Charizard and Garchomp to fly there."

"Lazy asshole," Misty giggled. "Come on, I know it'll take longer, but let's just take a drive. It'll feel good to revisit some of the places we can still remember."

"D-drive?" Ash shuddered. "But that'll take ages!"

"It'll be fine, Ash, I assure you," Misty smiled. "Remember, your Mom and Dad said that we can drop by at any time we want, and that we'll always be welcome. I'm sure we can get to the river where we first met just before sunset so we can spend some time there with our Pokémon. We can spend the night at your parents' place. Your mom would love to see us, I'm sure of it."

Ash frowned. "Don't like driving long distances. Always get tired quickly…"

Misty grinned wickedly. "Y'know…Pikachu could always shock you if you get drowsy…"

Ash immediately tensed up and felt a chill run down his spine. "Don't make him do it? Pretty please?"

She continued to tease him. "Oh…we'll have to see about that."

Then, a clever idea of his own came to mind, and Ash smiled mischievously back at her. "But then again, if you do get Pikachu to shock me, I could always choose to drive extra slowly through Viridian Forest. You know that Pikachu gets a kick out of seeing you squeal at the sight of Bug Pokémon just as much as I do."

Misty went beet red with fear before sighing deeply. "Okay…You win, mister…"

"We're cool?" Ash smiled and approached her, holding her hands in his.

"We're cool," Misty nodded, and then leaned up on her tiptoes to embrace and kiss him passionately again. At that moment, she felt that nothing could ruin the delightful day which lay ahead for them – not even Psyduck flailing about in the water after accidentally falling in.

Nothing could possibly go wrong.

…Or could it?

-o-

After finally arriving at the river where they first met many years ago, Ash and Misty shut the doors of their car and walked hand-in-hand towards the river bank. Pikachu, Azurill and Togetic pranced alongside them, the latter Pokémon having returned from a lengthy absence from its rightful place by Misty's side. As Misty predicted, it was approximately an hour before sunset. The warm summer sun was still beaming down on them, and the horizon was a beautiful haze of pink.

"Ah! I almost forgot!" Misty cried after she and Ash each took a stretch after spending hours in the car. She ran back towards the car after receiving the keys from Ash, then took out from the back seats a tray containing their Pokéballs which were on hand. As the Gym was closed on weekends, Misty chose to borrow all the Pokémon her sisters held there. A simple pool was never truly enough for Gyarados, and rather made the giant Pokémon slightly claustrophobic at times.

After removing the tray of Pokéballs, Misty shut the door of the car once again. Despite having won an enormous fortune after finally achieving his dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master by winning the Kanto Champion status, Ash opted for a simple silver sedan as opposed to the fancy cars that his old rival loved to drive. As confident as he may be, vainness was never truly a part of Ash's inner nature, and furthermore respected Misty's desire for peace and quiet in relative anonymity.

"Got them," Misty smiled as she ran back to Ash and then walked with him to the bank of the river. "Geez, I never realized just how many Pokémon my sisters keep at the Gym," she remarked, counting at least a dozen Pokéballs.

"Gyarados and Dewgong would definitely like it here," Ash said, taking a few Pokéballs out of the tray and starting to release them. "Always seemed frustrated simply staying in the pool all the time."

"True," Misty shrugged, taking the other half-dozen. "Daisy occasionally takes them by the beachside in Cerulean, but they got bored of that pretty quick."

"Pikapi, Pikachupi!" Pikachu grumbled by their feet. The little rodent Pokémon obviously wanted to scamper and play with its friends.

"Okay, okay, hold your horses!" Ash laughed and then released Misty's Pokémon in the water. "There, happy now?" he spoke to Pikachu, who was instantly delighted to see some of his best his old friends, Seaking, Psyduck and Starmie.

"Just be careful now, Pikachu," Misty humorously warned. "Don't want to get too excited and end up destroying the entire river's eco-system with a Thunderbolt!"

The Pokémon laughed amongst one another and started to splash and play in the water, albeit taking care to avoid being in the direct path of Gyarados who was soon released by Misty to join them. Content to see their pokemon play with each other, Ash and Misty retreated back up the hill from which they came, deciding to lie on the grass higher up in a spot which was covered with tree shade. Misty curled up next to Ash, resting her head against his chest and looking blissfully at the sunset.

"Everything's so…beautiful," she smiled and exhaled. "Just what I imagined. It brings so many good memories, just to be in this place…"

"That's because you were the one who did the slapping that day," Ash chuckled, and so did his wife. "That really hurt, y'know."

"Served you right for pissing me off," Misty looked up and poked her tongue at him. Then, reflecting on her dreams for the future, her eyes gently closed in a restful state as she continued to speak softly. "But really, it's nice to be here. It's like a gentle reminder of our past, just as we're about to embark on the future."

Ash smiled as he looked down at her and caressed her forehead. "What kind of future did you have in mind?"

"Oh, just enjoying ourselves for the time being. Kids will come eventually, but I want us to just take comfort from each other's company until the time is right."

"Should have told that to Brock before he and Lucy rushed things, yeah?" Ash chuckled, thinking of their friend who married the former Pike Queen at the Battle Frontier. Lucy was quick to re-establish contact with Brock after hearing that he returned permanently following the end of him and Ash's adventures in the Sinnoh region. Their relationship quickly blossomed due to their natural infatuation with each other, and news of their engagement became viral in the media years later once Brock proposed to her. They were currently a happily married couple with three children so far, and Lucy assisted in the running of Brock's Pokémon clinic with him.

"Definitely," Misty agreed. "Don't know how the poor guy deals with everything so smoothly, to be honest."

The two continued to talk and share precious memories from years gone by, and watched over Psyduck like protective parents supervising a child who was swimming for the first time. Even though Psyduck was more afraid of water than a Meowth, he was often the last line of defense whenever Misty's was down to her last Pokémon against the occasional trainer. Often laughed at and dismissed before a fight, Psyduck would be a fear-inspiring force to be reckoned with if his headache was built to enormous levels. Misty always loved it when she saw the smug smile wiped off the face of a cocky challenger.

Seeing that the sun was on the verge of setting, Misty shuffled about and started to rise to her feet. The last stretch of road to Pallet Town would take no more than an hour to travel. It was astounding to observe that what was quite possibly days of travel on foot was reduced to a mere couple of hours when driving.

"It's getting dark, Ash," Misty remarked as she pulled him up by the hand. "We should call them back and get going."

"Yeah, we should," Ash said, stretching his arms out and straightening out his t-shirt. "I'm actually getting quite hungry. Can't wait to see what mom's got prepared for dinner."

"You're _always _hungry," Misty teased with a poke to his chest, then looked with disappointment at Psyduck who accidentally fell into the water and began flailing his arms. In his confusion, Psyduck scratched the skin of the napping Gyarados with his nails, and was repaid by a swoosh of water tumbling over him when Gyarados roared and flailed about with his massive body.

"Oh, for the love of—! Psyduck, come here! Starmie, get him out of there!" Misty puffed as she walked down the hill towards the river bank. Gyarados was still angry, shouting at Psyduck who was still too busy desperately trying to stay afloat while Starmie rushed to his aid.

Ash chuckled as he watched on. Some things never changed, and one of those things was Psyduck's fear of water despite being a water Pokémon. He saw Misty running down to the bank, and then realized that it happened to be towards the very spot she fished him out of the water all those years ago. He thought he saw an angel that day when he first laid eyes on her gorgeous aquamarine eyes. The sore he received on the cheek only meant that he had further reason to never forget their first meeting.

And then…it happened.

Too preoccupied with the thought of pulling Psyduck out of the water and distracted by Gyarados voicing his frustration, Misty was completely oblivious to the sound of an incoming car. Ash felt his heart drop when he saw that despite Misty being in clear view, the driver would not even slow down. In desperation he rushed forward holding his hand in front of him.

He had to save her.

He was standing too far away now to be of any help, but he had to.

He couldn't lose his beloved Mist.

"Misty, move! Get off the road! Now!" he bellowed out loud as he bolted down the hill.

"Huh? What?" Misty stopped momentarily. She turned her head slightly to the right, and completely froze in fear as she saw the oncoming car. The Pokémon, now being fully aware of what was going on, looked on in terror, hoping for dear life that their beloved trainer would be spared.

_Hang on, Mist_, Ash thought as he continued to run towards her in full sprint. _Just a little more, and…_

Whereas only seconds ago he was filled with fear, Ash's heart now had a sliver of hope. He was so close. He could actually make it. Just a few more steps, and—

A cold flush rippled through Ash's spine. In the last vital moment, he had tripped over the remains of an old tree root and fallen face-first onto the grass, the road barely a few yards away. He couldn't even bring himself to look up at Misty, who still remained frozen in place on the road.

And then, the crash. The soul-crushing sound of the car slamming into Misty at full speed made Ash's heart plummet. The bonnet rammed against her side, sending her flying up head-first against the glass which cracked, but did not completely bust inwards following the impact. Misty's mangled and broken body slid off the top of the car which continued to race onward. She crumpled down upon the concrete road, her body riddled with imbedded glass shards.

Unable to believe what his eyes were telling him, Ash stumbled back up onto his feet to rush towards her. She was not moving, and her body was facing downwards, surrounded by glass pieces. Blood seeped from every portion of her body, but especially from her abdomen which took the brunt of the crash.

"Misty! Misty!" Ash cried hysterically, collapsing onto his knees before her and cradling her body in his arms. He turned her around so that she was facing him, and he could see that her face was covered in blood which poured from numerous cuts in her temple. "Misty! Talk to me! Open your eyes! Please!"

The Pokémon which could travel on land immediately rushed towards and surrounded them, while Seaking, Dewgong and Gyarados could only helplessly watch on. Vengeful and full of spite, Gyarados shot a Hyper Beam attack in the direction of the driver who continued to speed away, barely missing him as he drove past a corner of a large rock formation. The rocks shattered apart, rendering the road unusable until the debris was cleared.

Angered that his attack had failed, Gyarados turned his attention back to his dying friend who was cradled in her husband's arms.

"Misty…," Ash shook her again, his tears falling freely onto her face. "Please…talk to me…Open your eyes…"

Slowly but surely, Misty's eyes miraculously opened. For a moment, Ash was delighted to see that Misty survived the impact, but his hopes were dashed as he soon realized that her wounds were definitely mortal. Blood continued to pour from her open wounds, wetting his clothes and dripping onto the road.

"Ash…," she hoarsely whispered, spluttering out a little blood as she spoke. "Can't breathe…eyes darkening."

"No," he assured her, although he knew that he was also lying to himself. "You'll be fine, Mist." He quickly took out of his pocket the pink handkerchief he always carried with him ever since their first farewell. He applied it to the biggest wound in Misty's stomach, as if he thought it would be of any help. "Wait just a minute. I'll call for an ambulance, and then—"

"Ash…," Misty said again, her voice growing ever weaker. "Too late…Dying…"

"Don't talk that way," Ash insisted, although it chilled him to see that the handkerchief was soaked with blood almost as soon as he pressed it against her. "You're going to recover. You'll get better, and everything will…go back to the way it was…"

"Wanted to…be with you…forever," she gave him a frail smile. "Wanted…beautiful children…Mother…" She coughed and sharply inhaled. She was beginning to choke on her own blood.

"It'll be okay…It'll be okay…" Ash felt completely helpless, and he knew that he was only speaking those words to make himself feel better. Misty was dying, and there was no questioning that fact.

"Ash…," she whispered, raising her hand with what little strength she had left. Ash let go of the handkerchief and instead held her hand in his, not caring about all the blood.

"I'm here, Mist," he sobbed.

"Kiss me…One last time," she requested with a smile.

Without a second thought, Ash did as he was requested, planting a deep kiss on Misty's lips. He ignored the taste of blood, instead focusing on cherishing what would be their last moments together while Misty was still living. Then, after her last wish was granted, Misty separated from him and caressed his cheek with her shaking hand. Blood was smeared on his face and fell one small drop at a time off his chin and onto Misty's body.

With her last breath, Misty spoke her final words. "I love you…I…love you…"

Ash bit his lower lip and his throat trembled when he felt Misty go limp in his arms. Her head drooped back, her hand fell lifelessly onto the road, and her eyes closed for the final time, sending a single teardrop falling down her cheek.

"Honey?" he murmured, refusing to believe what his eyes were telling. "Honey, wake up. I promised to call the ambulance, didn't I? Just wait a moment, and then…you'll be…you'll be fine. Mist?"

He shook her time and time again, but she did not stir. The handkerchief fell off her stomach and onto the road, and a short distance away from Misty's right hand, Ash could see her wedding ring which slipped of her finger. Pikachu came up beside Ash, his red cheeks drenched with tears.

Finally coming to terms with what he had lost, Ash pulled Misty against his chest and began to sob with bottomless sorrow. He ran his fingers through her silky hair and pressed his cheek against her forehead. Placing his hand upon her heart, he could feel that her pulse was no longer there.

Still, there was one small measure of consolation, as meaningless as it was. He pulled her slightly back and looked upon her face, focusing on her rosy lips which would never comfort him with words ever again.

She died smiling.

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**A/N:** There will be a couple of completely original scenes in the next few chapters that aren't in MiyaToriaka's doujinshi. I wanted to think up of some plots of my own to fill the 'gap' between Misty and Ash's deaths, so I decided to put in a couple of events such as the funeral and such.

Anyway, I hope to hear from a lot of you in your reviews, and I'll get to working on the next chapter soon.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Hi all, glad to bring you another chapter. Well, 'glad' wouldn't exactly be the right word, given the tone of this story. More like 'somber'. Here is where I start to go full-on Barry Lyndon depressing mode, and also add in scenes that aren't found anywhere in the Doujin, since these scenes are completely my original creation. I wanted to put in these scenes because the Doujin focuses purely on ash's memory/recollection of events. It'll eventually transition to the final in due time.

While writing this scene, I was listening to and getting inspiration from 'Sarabande' by Georg Friedrich Handel, and 'Adagio in G minor', written by Remo Giazotto and attributed to Tomaso Albinoni. I'd recommend listening to either while reading this scene – it really does set the mood.

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**Chapter 3**

Broken beyond despair, Ash sat on a bench with his face in his hands, with his parents seated on either side of him. The hospital ward, with its white floors, walls and roof, felt like a sick joke to him, as if his surroundings were teasing him about his terrible loss and mocking him for believing that Misty was now in a better place. His elbows dug into his legs which began to ache and go red with the pressure, but he didn't notice it for one moment, far too disturbed by the loss of his beloved wife. He didn't even bother to check his phone despite its constant vibrations in his pocket alerting him to calls and messages, one right after the other. Right now, not even the likes of Brock could convince him to pull out his phone.

Still, a small portion of his mind clung onto hope. As if to convince him that it was all a mirage, that it was all a terrible dream that he would undoubtedly wake from in due time. That Misty would walk out of the hospital room with a cheeky grin on her face, teasing him before laying a soft kiss on his lips which would lead to him finally waking from his sleep. That they would still have a bright future ahead of them, and that they would become parents to beautiful children. He desperately hoped that Haunter had returned to play a funny joke on him with the Gengar and Ghastly he befriended in Pokémon Tower, and that Misty would be returned to her normal self again.

But it would not be.

Ash was sitting outside not an emergency ward, but a morgue. Misty was pronounced dead at the scene and draped over with a white sheet which immediately became soaked with her blood upon contact. The surgeons inside couldn't possibly do what Ash so dearly wanted them to do – rather, they were busily removing the glass shards that were embedded in Misty's dead body following the accident.

He never let go of the handkerchief ever since the accident occurred. Too stricken to drive himself, he was taken back to Pallet Town by an Officer Jenny, while ambulance staff removed Misty's corpse from the scene. His mother Delia broke down in tears upon hearing of Misty's death from Ash who turned up at the doorstep alongside Jenny, and his father Chris similarly seemed deeply disturbed, although his strong nature enabled him to keep his composure.

Misty was so much more to Delia than a simple daughter-in-law. Years ago, after she returned to take charge of the Cerulean Gym following her separation from Ash and Brock, she was almost perpetually alone in terms of human friends, only on occasion receiving visits from Tracey. A few weeks later, out of curiosity about her best friend and secret crush's progress, she phoned his mother, something which soon became a regular habit. Their relationship quickly grew, virtually forming a mother-daughter bond which she had missed ever since the untimely death of her own parents in a car accident, run over as they were crossing a busy street.

Such cruel irony it was, that the daughter was taken in the same way as the mother.

"It's not your fault, son," Chris said to Ash, the only sound in the hallway other than his voice being the constant monotonic ticking of the clock above the morgue doors. Beside Ash who continued to fondle the blood-soaked handkerchief in his hands, Delia was still weeping and mourning the death of Misty, her tears forming a small pool on the floor.

"It is," Ash gritted his teeth and squeezed ever more tightly onto the handkerchief. "I'm her husband; I should have protected her. Hell, I could have even used the Aura ability I learned from years back."

Chris persisted in his persuasion attempt. "Your loss may have been terrible, but believe me when I say that blaming yourself will do nothing but destroy you from the inside. Believe me, I know."

"She didn't. Freaking. Deserve it," Ash puffed, his hands going white as he viciously dug his nails into the handkerchief. "She saved my life once, during that crisis with Lugia and the three Legendary Birds. The least I could have done is to save hers in return…and I didn't."

"I…I can't believe it," Delia sobbed beside Ash. "My…my daughter-in-law…Just…gone…"

"She's in a better place now, my dear. Don't let yourself be drowned in sorrow," Chris said softly to his wife. Enraged, Ash clenched his eyes shut in order to avoid glaring at his father who was beginning to get on his nerves with his optimism. There would be no more happy days in Ash's life now that Misty was gone. Even the brightest of sunrises would be to him no more uplifting than a murky rainstorm. His life was over.

Breaking the temporary silence that followed, the twin doors of the morgue swung open, and out stepped the head medical examiner, a woman of light skin and brown features who appeared to be in her middle thirties. Her hair was tied back in a small bun and concealed in her hairnet, and she lowered her surgical mask before speaking to the grieving family.

"I'm…so sorry, Mr. Ketchum," she apologized, visibly trying her best to keep back her own tears. "Our operation is finished, and you may come in to look upon her if you wish."

Ash and his parents stayed silent. There was nothing more to say.

"We've just finished removing the last of the glass shards out of your wife's body, after utilizing several scans," the woman continued. "Her wounds have been stitched up, and the report has been filed for the coroner. But…it's so tragic a loss, sir. Losing one's spouse is tragic enough, but to also lose…" She stopped in her words, finally letting the tears flow as she whimpered and covered her eyes with one hand.

Ash looked up at her with curious eyes. "What…what do you mean?"

The examiner lowered her hand and looked him dead in the eyes. "You…you mean you don't know?"

Ash began to pant softly. Just what else could there have been?

Seemingly heartbroken after seeing Ash's reaction, the examiner went on albeit painfully. "The glass shards embedded in your wife's limbs penetrated her skin at a shallow level, but as for her abdomen which took the full brunt of the impact, the glass went much deeper. We had to make incisions to remove those shards, but as we were doing so, we…we found…Oh my God…" She broke down in tears once again, and couldn't bring herself to raise her head which hung downwards in depression.

The widowed and broken Pokémon Master's eyes began to gradually widen in sheer agony. "You…you don't mean…"

With a deep sigh, the examiner raised her gaze to nod ever so weakly. "We found an embryo, Mr. Ketchum. Your wife was one month pregnant."

Immediately, Ash's face went white and he felt every inch of his body freeze up in paralysis. His hands and fingers trembled eerily, and a single teardrop fell down his left cheek. His grief was now beyond consolable, and his heart seemed to stop altogether as did his breath. Then, without a second's warning, all around him went white, and the last thing he felt was his pounding head falling upon the cold hospital floor.


End file.
